The Other Way
by Gregg Landsman
Summary: A year after Xenogears, the past begins changing.  But why?
1. Default Chapter Title

Xenogears and all associated characters are the property of Square. All original characters are my property, all rights reserved.

This is a sort of alternate universe story. One year after Deus's fall, something good begins to happen.

****

THE OTHER WAY

Prologue:

Another Sunny Day

________________

Kim Kasin sighs, looking up at the clear blue skies over Valeria as he walks down the street of the Zeboim city.

The sun is shining, the wind blowing through his dark hair, and work today went very, very well.

The war ended ten years ago, when the Prime Minister called for a cease fire and complete disarmament. The missiles were dismantled, the armies cut back, and the gears deactivated. And only the Mass Driver was left as a monument to the stupidity of the war.

Through use of his nanoassemblers and nanomachines, the entirety of the damage to Earth was more or less healed. The skies were cleared, the radiation cleaned up, and the damage to people repaired.

And someday, someday soon, he will finally fix his wife's problem, and they can have children of their own.

But for now, their daughter will do.

He slides his card into the apartment building door, jogging up the three flights, sliding in his card and opening the door.

The amber haired woman is waiting on his couch, smiling sweetly to him as she walks over.

He smiles, wrapping his arms around her, the two slowly kissing as the green-haired child walks out from her bedroom.

"Kim!", she yells, running over.

He smiles, lifting her up, Elly sighing before walking to the kitchen.

"Hello, Emmy," he says, "How was your day?"

"I graduated up to seventh grade, Kim," she responds.

"And how was work?", Elly asks from the kitchen.

He smiles, widely, carrying their daughter to the kitchen.

"Wonderful," he says, "Everything is wonderful."

Chapter 1:

Benevolence

____________

Sigurd Fatima silently leans on the wheel of the Yggdrasil, flicking away a lock of white hair as he watches the man, dressed in green and white, a long ponytail going past his waist, constantly pressing buttons on the sensor controls.

"Hyuga," he groans, "At what point will you be done? You've been at this for three hours. Trips from Aveh to Lahan, taking the _long_ way around the world, take less time."

"I'll be done soon, old friend," Citan Uzaki responds, "Wait...there."

Sigurd climbs over the railing, effortlessly landing on his feet and walking over to his old friend.

"And that would be?", he asks, seeing a wave go past on the sensor screen..

Citan narrows his eyes, placing his index finger on his chin.

"I'm not sure," he says, "But I swear I've seen that wavelength of energy before..."

Which is when every screen on the ship becomes active, the engine humming like they haven't heard in over a year.

"...the Hell?!", Sigurd asks, "Citan, what's _that?!_"

"It's...it's all the generators coming online."

"Half the generators are Ether power, Citan. They're not supposed...to...work?"

Citan runs over to another screen, his eyes widening as he sees the information.

"Ether generators running at 55%...75%..."

He turns to Sigurd, slowly.

"Ether generators are at full power."

Fei Fong Wong awakens with the sound of a knocking on his cabin.

He smiles, sitting up, throwing back on his tunic over his black trousers, retying his ponytail as the door knocks again.

Elly was due back today from a small political meeting in Nisan, anyway. But apparently he's overslept. She was due back at about 3:00, and he was going to wake up at about nine to get everything ready to surprise her...

He doesn't bother with his watch, figuring it has to be her. Has got to be her, because he can't remember asking anyone else over before three.

He walks across to the door, smiling as he opens it...and his jaw drops, his eyes going wide.

"Oh, hello Fei," he hauntingly familiar, black haired woman says, "...is Elly still out?"

He absently nods, his heart beating faster and faster. The woman, a good twenty years elder to him, smiles, folding her hands in front of her.

"Well, let's get to work, then.", she says, "I know you usually don't need my help, but considering tonight, I'll just help you fix up everything and then I'll be out of your hair."

He nods, stepping back, his body shaking, his hand bracing against the small table which he never remembers buying or building.

"Fei?", she asks, walking through the door, "Fei, is something wrong?"

He gives out a choked scream, backing away and tripping himself on a slightly loose board, falling to the floor and slamming his head.

He lies there, twitching, still seeing her walking to him.

The woman there isn't Ellyham Van Houten.

The woman is Karen Wong.

Yui Gasper Ricdeau Uzaki hums to herself as she checks the soup boiling on the stove, nodding to herself, satisfied.

She walks over to her icebox, absently eyeing the inactive, either-powered refridgerator, taking out a bag of vegetables and walking over to her counter.

She takes out three stalks of celery, chopping them with a large knife.

And nearly cuts herself as she hears a loud hum. She walks over, cautiously, touching the fridge door...and pulls her hand back when she feels that it's cool. She pulls the door open, a slight gust of cool air hitting her face and slightly blowing her flaxen hair.

"Hm...", she says, "Citan must have hooked it up to that generator..."

_But no extra cords are there. No special attachments..._

She shrugs, walking over to the unchopped vegetables, smiling as she sees the door open.

"Mommy?", Midori asks, walking over.

Yui looks down, smiling.

"Yes, precious?", she asks, "What is it?"

"Mommy...look outside.", the young girl says, pointing over to the window.

She nods, walking over...and she gasps, her eyes going wide.

A massive, green-white gear is walking outside. When it's supposed to be inactive and lying on the ground.

And the supposed to be inactive gear is fixing Citan's work shed, rounding up the chickens, and basically doing the outside work.

"Fenrir...?", she asks.

"It just started moving, Mommy.", Midori says, "It's happy."

Which is when Yui rolls her eyes up, and collapses to the floor.

"I don't get it," Sigurd says, he and Citan in the ship's bar, "One second we're at half power and the next second we have Ether! Doesn't this sound a bit strange?"

Citan nods, sighing.

"Yes. Yes, it does. Ether was supposed to be eliminated with the destruction of Zohar. Maybe this is just a residual, and won't last..."

"Mr. Citan?"

He turns over to the bar, Maison, the elderly caretaker of this part of the ship holding out a phone.

"Yes, Maison?", he asks, walking over.

"It's your daughter."

Citan nods, taking the phone, smiling slightly.

"Midori?", he asks.

"_Daddy? Mommy fainted._"

Citan narrows his eyes, turning his back to Maison.

"She fainted?", he whispers, "Why?"

He knows one thing. It takes something completely unexpected to even rattle Yui. Much less disturb her to that point...

Much like the reason that her daughter tells him.

"_Fenrir's doing the gardening._"

It's one thing to come down to the former gear hangar of Aveh to pay respects to the omnigear that saved your bacon more than once.

It's another thing to find the omnigear fully active.

And it's a complete extreme of that positive way of thinking to find your many years dead father, hearty and hale, looking over the gear as if it's something that happens every day.

"D...Dad?!", Bartholemew Fatima asks, wide eyes...and smiling.

The slightly aged man turns, smiling widely.

"Sorry if I'm intruding on your space, Bartholemew," the supposed to be dead king of Aveh says, "You're keeping Andavari in good condition. It looks like it was freshly built."

Bart nods, absently walking over to his father.

"I got a message from Sig," he says, "Said he should be back in a couple of hours."

"It takes that long from the old artifact cave?"

"Nah, but he needs to drop of Citan," Bart responds, "So...how's everything up above ground?"

The old king smiles, slightly, clasping his hands behind him, and begins to talk.

And only one thing goes through the prince's mind.

_Screw probabilities._

Ellyham Van Houten closes her eyes, looking down as she walks to a cliff overlooking a massive crater that was once the capital of Solaris.

Her home. The pace where her mother died, her father died, and countless others as Id unleashed his rage on the closest possible target.

And still, they didn't stop the bad guys one bit...

She opens her eyes as the ground rumbles. Looks up as she sees a pink-white wave of energy streaking across the skies...and falls to her feet as the rumbling becomes louder, the tremors stronger.

She picks herself up to her knees, dust covering her solarian uniform as trendrils of light rise from the ground, wrapping themselves around each other as they form into a shape two miles high.

They flash, brightly...

And on the ground, upside down....

Is the slightly ragged city that she called home.

She rises to her feet, slowly, her mouth absently opening as she stares in something between shock and complete confusion.

She steps back, slowly, her breath rattling in her throat as she turns about...

And sees a fully powered Vierge kneeling behind her.

She shrugs, still shaking, climbing up the hand and into the cockpit, giving off a small sigh of relief as it rises into the air and shoots off into the distance...

The first thing they notice as Citan and Sigurd pass the fence is that the grass is perfectly mowed, the flower bed arranged, and the chickens are all in their coop.

The second thing they notice is the Gear walking past them, holding several pairs of hedgeclippers in its massive hand.

"I don't think this is temporary.", Sigurd says.

"Me neither," Citan says, and runs to the house, opening the door and running to the kitchen, where he sees Yui sitting absently on the floor, Midori standing next to her.

"Yui!", he says, "How long has Fenrir be walking?"

"Before I called.", Midori says.

Citan nods, helping his wife up as he watches through the window as Fenrir straightens out the spider-mech lying on his workshed.

"Forty-seven minutes," he says, "That's....about two minutes after that wave passed us."

"Think it's related?", Sigurd asks, standing in the doorway.

Citan nods, adjusting his glasses.

"I'd place money on it-"

He looks down as something bleeps.

He rumages around his pockets, taking out a small, flat black object.

He shakes it, the object snapping out into a small phone, putting it to his ear.

"Yes?"

"_Figures that this's still working,_", Bart says, "_Hey, Doc. My omnigear is working, Aveh's completely rebuilt and bustling despire Deus leveling it to a village a year ago, and I just had a long, heart-to-heart conversation with my dad, who was assassinated a long time ago. Any ideas?_"

"I've got some. I'm on my way."

He turns to Sigurd, sighing.

"Aveh.", he says, "We're going to Aveh."

Sigurd, shrugs, nodding.

Citan turns back to his family, sighing again.

"We need to go to Aveh."

"And what about the giant gear?", Yui asks.

Citan walks over to the window, opening it.

"_Fenrir!_", he yells, "_Sit!_"

The gear freezes for a moment...and calmly sitting on the ground.

"Good. That still works."

He takes his wife's hand, picking up his daughter, and they follow Sigurd out of the house...

Billy Lee Black twirls his handgun, checking to make sure the chamber is empty before pocketing it again. He looks up, smiling as he sees the orphanage in front of him, cracking his neck slightly as he walks through the gate...

And narrowly avoids the two little boys running past him, playing a fast-paced game of tag...

Which shouldn't be happening, because after the Deus incident, the children either disappeared, mutated, or were evacuated...

He quickly walks to the door, cautiously opening it and walking into the building.

"Prim?!", he yells, "Prim, what happen-"

What he'd expect at this point is for her solemn sister to walk out and give him one of those 'whoops' looks. Although she can't exactly gather thirty or so children to surprise him...

"Billy!", the now-exuberant, platinum blonde haired girl yells, running through the door across from him, "Billy! Billy, she's back!"

His eyes narrow, an eyebrow raising as he freezes in place.

Prim is speaking. Prim is speaking and had suddenly become a chatterbox as she wraps her arms around his torso.

"Billy, she's back!", Prim yells, "She's back I don't know how but she's back!"

"Prim, who?", he asks, "What happened here..."

"Took your time getting back, son," Jessiah Black says, smiling widely, "I'm sure Sig would've been happy to give you a ride."

Billy looks up...and his mouth slowly opens, his eyes going wide as he sees them.

Not just his grizzled, smirking father. More like the person he has an arm around.

And for that moment, Billy smiles, seeing his father, Jessiah.

And his mother, Racquel.

And, for the first time in a while, he starts to laugh.


	2. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 2:

New Memories

_______________

She never called them Mom and Dad. Never called them that until much later, when she was around fourteen, when they started getting grey and he stopped moaning about the state of the world and more about the everyday aches.

She still called him Kim. She still called his wife Elly, but with less enthusiasm than she greeted her creator. But she still never referred to them as her parents.

Not until sometime around her fourteenth birthday. She had used her nanites to make her vulnerable like a human for a week. On her first day, she fell and scraped her knee while chasing a ball in the outside yard. She was unused the feeling of pain. She began crying, running up the stairs, running for home and hoping to find Kim there to fix her.

She found Elly instead. Without a word, seeing the cut and seeing her crying, she scooped up the girl and fixed and bandaged the knee, wiped away the tears. She first thought it was because Elly was a nurse. Hours later, she realized it was because Elly was her _mother._ Her DNA was used to create her. She always watched over her, always made sure she was safe, always walked her to school.

The next day, she started calling Elly and Kim Mother and Father. And some time later, Mom and Dad.

Emeralda quickly sits up, gasping.

"No," she whispers, clenching the arms of her padded chair, "No no no...Zebiom died when I was three..."

She gasps, her eyes rolling up, as new memories intrude into her mind.

_Emmy, you'll never get used to driving if you don't learn to relax..._

Emmy, meet your sister, Alexis...

Okay...let me explain how school proms work...

Emmy, we're both proud of how you've done...

"_STOP IT!!_", the emerald-haired woman screams, clutching the sides of her head, clenching her eyes shut.

The memories stop as she opens her eyes, tears running down her face, the nanomachine colonies reabsorbing themselves into her skin.

Right before she shakes her head, slowly closing her eyes as she falls back asleep.

Vierge lands with a thud in front of the cabin, Elly climbing out of the torso exit...and groaning, holding her head.

"Damn," she mutters, "Now they know exactly where I am..."

She shakes her head, hopping off the hand in front of her and easily landing on the ground, sprinting to the door and knocking on it.

She creaks open the door, looking about...

"Elly? You're home early."

The door slowly swings open with a groan, leaving her facing a middle-aged, black haired woman who's sitting in a chair across the room, smiling as she knits something.

She instinctively reaches for her pistol...and finds a familiar hand gripping hers.

She says nothing as Fei takes her outside. She sees that he's visibly flustered...and stops when he sees Vierge standing in front of them.

"I know, I know," she says, "I don't know why it's working, either..."

"I've had weirder, Elly," he says, turning to her, "Elly...the woman, in there..."

"Yes?"

"That's...that's my mother."

She slowly opens her mouth, tilting her head.

"H...how?"

"I don't know," he calmly says, "I don't know...it's just really her...I can tell-"

"Fei, Solaris is still there."

He looks up, gritting his teeth slightly.

"I saw the crater. It's still there. Ragged, damaged...but still there. I don't know how..."

He nods, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Alright," he says, "Alright. I've got a feeling the two are connected."

"How?"

"I...I just don't know. It's just like a tingling I remember, from somewhere..."

"So? What do we do?"

"We go back to the cabin and we have lunch with my mother. She really likes you, you know?"

She chuckles, shaking her head.

"Fei, something is happening-"

"Which Doc is a lot better at solving than me.", he interrupts, "If he needed me, he'd contact me. Mom you can either call Mom, Mrs. Wong, or Karen. She also occasionally asks when we're getting married."

He continues explaining to her as he brings her back into the cabin, closing the door behind them...

Lights flash on and off as the Yggdrasil III rises to the docking platform underground Aveh. Standing at the platform are Bart, Great Mother Margurite, and to his left the King of Aveh, standing there with folded arms.

The hatch of the submarine/flying ship pops open, Citan climbing up the ladder, followed by Sigurd and Maison with Sigurd's help.

Citan helps his family up, taking Yui's hand as he turns to the front, watching Bart give him a look.

Citan nods, bowing with the others.

"Greetings, your highness," Maison courtly says, "We are glad to be back in Aveh."

"Of course, Old Maison," the King says, "Welcome back. Doctor Uzaki, thank you for coming with them. If you'll come with me, we'll repast in the castle."

He turns, walking down the platform. Bart and Margie back up the others, Bart walking over between Sigurd and Citan.

"My dad's alive and Andvari is working. Doc, please explain."

Citan nods, scratching his head.

"I believe it's connected with that wave that passed us.", he says, "I'm fascinated on what it was, but I believe in never looking a gift horse in the mouth. Although some historical records might help."

"History books?"

"And tapes, Bart.", Citan responds, "What's happening is some temporal distortion. I have the feeling that wave may have been a temporal distortion wave given off by a molding of space time."

Citan keeps walking. And turns when he sees Bart and Sigurd standing there, dumbfounded.

"It means time is changing.", Yui says, the two men nodding and continuing to walk.

That night, at the orphanage.

Jessiah watches the flames flicker into life as the cigar starts to burn, taking a puff before relaxing on the porch chair, his feet up on the rail.

He looks to the side as he sees Billy standing there, hands folded.

"Father," he says, "How's Mother been doing?"

"Alive. A surprise to me, to.", Jessie responds, "Get off it, son. I remember our past. I didn't say anything because Prim still doesn't...understand it. And Racquel doesn't remember the wels attack, or Stein..."

Billy nods, walking to the railing and bracing against it.

"Prim's talking."

"Yep."

"Mother's back."

"Yep."

"And we still remember her being killed by Sto...Stein, remember the orphanage being destroyed by Deus, and we never had an extension at the orphanage because the only people living here were Prim, me, and you in a secret room behind the bookcase because we were, in the loosest sense of the word, a family."

"Yep."

Billy sighs, looking down. Closest to a straight answer he's going to get from him, tonight...although he doesn't mind, himself. He's happy about this. Like a proof of his faith.

"Thanking God for this one?", Jessiah asks, "Last thing called God caused this mess in the first place."

"No...not Deus. A true God. I've never seen my faith affirmed, like this. I never thought He was listening."

"Always thought of God as a She, myself."

Billy turns slightly to his reclining father, and turns back to the stars.

And the two talk for much of the night.

"Yui, when did the Zeboim era end?"

Yui stiffles a yawn, climbing off the bed in the three-room quarters they were set up in. Citan is still at the desk, looking over his seventh history volume, a faint light on over the text and not waking Midori in the smaller bed next to their's.

"Hm...? Four Thousand years ago."

"Says here it ended 3.5 millenia ago."

She rubs her eyes, walking over to him and looking over his shoulder.

"Hm? Oh. I was wrong."

"No...no, you were right."

"Then the book is wrong?"

"No...look. It says here historical evidence indicates that Zeboin collapsed due to migration and plate shifting. Eventually the country dissolved and other government were formed on other continents, which collapsed all except for a handful. We remember they were killed due to nuclear wars, but it says a truce was reached early on and the nanomachines developed by a man named Kim Kasim fixed the ecological damage and the cellular damage to the people."

She blinks her eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh...oh! That means..."

"That means that whatever changed history has changed it all the way back to Zeboim...I have to go."

He stands up, nearly knocking her off her feet as he throws on his tunic, arranging his hair.

"Citan...where are you going?"

"To the archives. Bart has a record of the battles between Nisan and Solaris. I need to see how that was altered."

He kisses her on the cheek, silently walking to the door before walking out.

It takes a while, but Fei finally notices the changes.

He no longer has that slight tingle in his mind. No longer has Id's and Coward's voices in some of his dreams...even though Elly has put forth genuine...effort...to quell them.

But they're gone.

So is that blatant image of that blast killing his mother...

As it should. Since she was there with him and Elly, having dinner with them, asking about the meeting, asking how their friends are doing, asking about life in Solaris.

She left a while ago, kissing Fei goodbye and telling Elly and he to come by soon.

He's guessing she means the house near Dominia, where he grew up. Although, Dominia was destroyed...

_Beep._

He breaks from his thoughts as he hears the communicator in his pocket, sitting down on the dirt mound outside the cabin and answering it.

"Doc?"

"_Fei. Good, you're still there. Fei, I'm going to be arriving in the Yggdrasil soon. Is Elly still awake?_"

"Uh...yeah. Doc, what's wrong?"

"_Fei, try something. Fire a blast at something. Tell me what happens._"

"Citan, I can't do that since the Zohar wen-"

"_Just do it!_"

Fei sighs, hooking the communicator to his belt as he stands up. Might as well, if only to prove Citan wrong once...

"Okay," he mutters, clencing his fists, "Let's see..."

He takes a deep breath, stepping back and cupping his hands together.

"_Hee-chaaah!_", he yells, thrusting out his hands...

And much to his surprise, a burst of red-white light flies from his hands, disappearing into the distance and shattering a small hill.

He stands there, mouth open, his breath rattling in his throat.

And he grabs his communicator.

"Doc?!", he asks, "Doc, it happened! I've got my powers back!"

"_I thought so. That establishes one suspect. Get Elly and wait for the Yggdrasil. I'll meet you inside. Citan out._"

Fei stuffs the communicator in his pocket, and hurdles down the hill, screaming Elly's name the entire way.

Karen Wong winces as she feels the familiar presence in her head, sighing to herself.

"I thought you moved on."

_You've always been one of my favorites, Karen. I never got to be his mother in all my incarnations._

"I understand. He told me you died saving her."

She feels a slight chuckle in the back of her mind as she continues walking to her ride, a small Shevat hovercraft.

_Zohar designed me otherwise, Mrs. Wong. I think we may have to work together for a little while longer._

Karen sighs, shrugging as she steps onto the hovercraft.

"Very well. Just let me get back home, first."

The hovercraft hums to live, a dome encasing the top as she sits in the chair.

It rises into the air, Karen watching as the landscape becomes a nondefined blurr.

And closing her eyes as her hair turns a dark shade of purple...

Citan sits in a chair in front of the massive screen, tapping the controls on the armrest.

"Display film 1-213.", he orders.

The film should be a restrospect. A memorial. The funeral he was shown when Queen Zephyr confessed everything after Fei went insane and sought out Zohar.

The screen crackles as the film starts, starting the countdown.

_5...4...3...2...1_

It turns blank, then fades into a scene.

He hears the music, and sits there, dumbfounded, as the scene plays out.

And everything starts to come together.

Chapter 3:

Old Times

_________

Abel feels his legs pumping as he firmly grips the delicate hand in his, his mud covered face showing none of the fear he feels inside.

He only focuses on her breath. Not on the murderous chanting following him and his betrothed.

"_Abel..._", his 'brother' says in his ear, even though he's still several feet back, "_Abel, you know you cannot stop us. Join us. Join God. Let your rebellion die, and live in peace with her..._"

_No. No, Cain. You're evil. The people deserve someone not like you. They deserve one who doesn't enjoy pain. Someone who doesn't murder in God's name._

All he can hear is the faint, malicious chuckling as the chanting grows louder, feeling the trembling in her fingers.

"_I said that only to humor you. I do not need you. Your pathetic rebellion is nothing. I will crush it like I would you. Like your mate, Abel._"

They stop, as if by some invisible force, turning around.

Atop a caravan carried by eight men sits the skull-masked Cain. He folds his hands before his chin, his eyes glowing bright white.

"_My mission is to destroy you wherever and whenever you arise, Abel,_" he says, "_You are a speck in mine eye. To be sporting, I will give you a chance. Stand before me and die, or run and die. Your choice._"

Abel clenches his other hand into a fist, swallowing whatever fear he feels at the visage of the monster.

"Kill me," he says, "Show me what sort of monster you really are. Let them all see it."

Cain laughs, waving his hands around as energy begins to gather above him. Energy Abel has seen Cain use to execute dissidents. To destroy for amusement. Cain's eyes glow gold, and he gestures...

Towards Elly.

Abel has but a moment to react, turning to her, trying to leap...

And finds it for naught, the energy striking out before he can react...

And striking the ground next to her.

"_WHAT?!_"

Cain looks around, demanding to know what happened...

As various figures rise from around the canyon.

Hundreds.

Thousands.

Men and women, weilding farming implements and makeshift weapons, surrounding Cain and his soldiers.

"Cain," Abel says, gripping Elly's hand, "My 'pitiful' rebellion. Farewell, 'brother'."

Cain screams in rage as they stream down into the canyon, Abel gripping Elly's hand, locking eyes with her before they continue running to their freedom...

Present day.

Citan and Sigurd wait at the deck of the Yggdrasil as Fei and Elly climb onto the massive ship, Elly turning and watching as Andvari carries Vierge inside.

"It may be a silly question," she says, "But why is Bart's omnigear working?"

"Ether power's been restored," Sigurd says, "We're trying to find out why, and it seems to have some connection to the changes."

"Changes?", Fei asks.

Citan nods, gesturing to the hatch.

"Come with me to the gun room, Fei. I've brought along some movies you'll want to see."

He climbs down the hatch, the others following and Sigurd closing it.

With a roar of compressed air, the Yggdrasil III rises into the sky, jets igniting as it speeds off into the distance.

Emeralda clicks on a flashlight, illuminating the interior of the small building.

She's decided, after the last night, to return to subterranian city under the lighthouse that she and Da....that she and Fei went to.

She remembers this place. Remembered it as where Kim and Elly lived when they created her.

This place seems...different, though.

She remembers more.

She remembers riding a bicycle down the street three blocks from here.

She remembers going to a school half a mile down this road.

She shudders involuntarily, shaking her head.

"I never did those...", she whispers.

She traces the light along the walls, seeing a switch and stretching out her arm, clicking it on.

The lights flash...and become a lobby with a stairwell leading up five floors.

She begins climbing the stairs, slowly, not knowing why she is.

She remembers this place was supposed to have been leveled when she last visited. Shockwave of a nuclear bomb.

She continues on to the second floor, walking to a door at the end of the hall.

She turns her hands into crowbars, forcing the sliding doors open, returning them to normal as she walks in...

And remembers.

It is a large apartment. All the ammenities. Uninhabited since she was last here.

She walks to a small screen embedded in the wall near the door, pressing a red button on it.

The screen blinks on, shimmering as it displays the face of a familiar man. Only this time, his black hair turned grey, that bang no longer going over his eyes, glasses firmly there. More like Citan than Fei, she muses...

"_Hi, this is Kim. Elly and I aren't home right now, so if you want to leave a message..._"

She doesn't listen to the rest, walking off from the screen, looking about.

She passes by the room she slept in, seeing the dust accumulated on her sheets and pillow. She sees the room Alexis slept in across from hers. Dust and cobwebs.

"Why is this still here...?", she asks, out loud, "If they died of old age...why didn't someone else take this place...?"

"_Because we sealed it off, Emeralda._"

She turns, quickly at the voice as she enters the three-couch, full-wall windowed living room.

Standing there are three holograms. Kim, Elly, and Alexis. All of them middle aged. Years before they died of the natural causes she never could know.

"_Hello, Emeralda,_" Kim says, "_If you're hearing this, it means you've come back here seeking answers. Let us explain._"

"_A year ago,_" Alexis says, adjusting her glasses, "_We read a wave circling out over the world. Using a polarity-sensing nanoprobe colony, we managed to get a reading on the wave, and a glimpse of what the wave was doing. We managed to see a nuclear-ravaged wasteland. A fate we nearly experienced. But you know that, already._"

Emeralda opens her mouth, closing it and swallowing, sitting on the dusty seat covers of one of the couches.

"_We managed to see a future where you would wake up four thousand years later,_" Elly continues, "_If you came from that wasteland of a future, we're sorry. You never knew us that well, you never knew your sister. In that case, we want to give you the memories that you missed. We want you to know the life you should have experienced as part of our family._"

"_This will not be pleasant,_" Kim continues, gripping the shoulders of his wife and daughter, "_I am sorry if this will cause you pain. But standing on the coffee table is a packet of specialized nanomachines. They contain all the information that your alternate timeline self experienced. They will transfer all the information into your CPU. Remember, Emmy. We will always be with you. And we love you. Goodbye...and godspeed._"

The images disappear, Emeralda sitting there for a long moment. Her breathing slows, her eyes close.

Her family...her family lived here, and left this for a person they barely know...

She opens her eyes...and sees the small envelope, a slight glow inside the plastic.

She reaches over, taking it in her hand, watching the microscopic machines fluttering around, watching her back.

"Alright," she whispers, "Alright...Mom...Dad. I always did want a family..."

She opens the packet, letting the single drop fall onto her hand, absorbing into her body...

And she screams, glass shattering around her, clenching her head as the searing pain comes over her mind.

Memories, one hundred and ten years of memories, begin violating her sight, forcing themselves alongside those she already knows.

She stumbles to her feet, bracing herself against the couch, tears streaming down her face as she sees everything.

Her first kiss.

The birth of her sister.

The day she graduated school.

The day her sister married.

The day her parents renewed their vows.

The day they retired.

The day they died.

The day she died.

The day she put herself into the capsule....

She gasps, her breathing heavy, her entire body spasming as her clothes tear off, her skin flaking and reabsorbing into her skin, reforming itself, her hair lengthening as she stumbles to the shattered window.

And falls.

She splatters on the ground, reforming instantly, struggling to crawl on all fours to the slender, wing-armed gear near her.

"C...c-c-Crescens...", she whispers, horsely, the gear activating and walking to her.

"H...help. Get me...to help..."

The gear bends down, scooping her up in one wing, putting her in the cockpit before folding back the wings and launching herself into the sky...

"King Edbert is alive and well," Citan says, as they walk into the gun room, "From what I understand, Solaris was never destroyed, and we can't find the Shevat wreckage in the antarctic."

Elly nods, Fei following her as the doors close behind him, Bart, Sigurd, Maison and Margie waiting for them at the tables, now arranged in a straight row with a projection screen in front of them, a projector behind them.

"And the gears?", Fei asks.

"Well, Fenrir's working, Andvari is working, all the gears in the hangar are working...but there's something odd...", Citan says, "First thing I did was check on Xenogears..."

"Yeah. I left it in the hangar."

Citan nods, sighing...

"Fei, it's Weltall.", he says, "It's not Xenogears. It's simply Weltall again."

Fei looks at him, silently. He then scratches his head, tilting his head slightly.

"Huh?"

"It's most likely a change in the timeline," Citan responds, "The energy readings are similar to the ones we got off of Weltall-2 and Xenogears. But it's form remains that of Weltall-1. I do not know why, but that's not of import right now. Now, come. I'm the only one who's seen this movie so far, and you most definitely need to see it."

Fei and Elly sit on one of the tables, next to each other as Citan stands by his side.

"Maison, roll it and give me audio," he orders.

The elder man nods, clicking on the switches on the projection, the machine whirring to life.

"This was supposed to be a recording of the memorial service for Mother Sophia after the Nisan/Solaris war," Citan says, "This should give us a hint on how far back this wave is moving."

The countdown ends...

And wedding music begins to play.

Elly places her hand on Fei's, as the screen fades in, in black and white. It pans over a small, standing group. She can place Roni and Rene Fatima from her memories, 500 years ago. She can identify the guards as those of the Nisan order...from the very beginning of the Nisan order...

And she instantly recognizes the man standing at the left of the podium.

Same long, tied hair, same bang in front of his eyes. Dressed like a semi-nobleman, smiling even though he's most likely uncomfortable in the garb. Fei. Or, Fei a good ten years older than he is these days. Fei's last incarnation.

Lacan.

The camera zooms over to him, Lacan wording something and gesturing with his head, the camera panning over the audience, to the doors of the Nisan Cathedral.

Unfamiliar women escort the woman in a white, simple wedding dress.

They walk, in the tradition fashion of a wedding or a ceremony, the bride effortlessly leading them, her face completely hidden by the veil.

The wedding music ends as she reaches Lacan's side, Lacan smiling, turning with her to the priest at the podium.

Elly simply watches, feeling Fei's hand gripping hers as the priest finishes the speech, asking the questions and receiving the answers she's expecting.

They watch the trading of the rings. They watch the vows being taken.

They watch as the priest confirms their marriage, watching as Lacan lifts the veil...

And revealing Elly's face, ten years older, before the two newlyweds kiss, and the film ends...

"Turn it off, Maison."

The film shuts off, the lights turning back on as Citan walks in front of the screen.

"What we saw," he says, "Was the wedding of Lacan and Mother Sophia."

"Wow...", Bart says, scratching his head, "Alright...didn't she _die?_"

"Yes," Citan responds, "Before the wave. It seems the alteration of time is not limited to our generation. It's moving back, altering other generations, other eras. We have the possible suspects of Deus, Cain, Zohar, and other outside forces. I suggest we start investigating these leads."

"Wait, wait," Fei says, hopping off the table, "Doc...this thing's changing things for the better. Why are we being skeptical of it?"

"The gift horse you look in the mouth often turns and kicks you in the head, Fei," Citan responds, "I'm just being cautious. Is Solaris still intact?"

"Partially," Elly responds, grimacing slightly.

Citan nods, folding his arms.

"Good. Then we'll go there first," he responds, "Sigurd, let's get moving."

Sigurd nods, and follows him out the gunroom door, the others not far behind...

Chapter 4:

Changes

__________

500 years ago.

"I served her for years!", the purple-haired man roars, "I laid down my life for her! I led her battles, I studied under her, I worshipped her as a _saint!_ And what did she do? She chooses the share the bed of that _PAINTER?!_"

Roni Fatima stands there, watching as Krelian rages and rants, tossing aside furniture in the waiting room, screaming in rage.

"Krelian," he says, "You know she loves Lacan-"

"I helped pull her out of that omnigear, damn it!", Krelian snaps back, "I made sure it would save her if she tried that! And that...that _whore_ chooses him over me!"

"Say that again and I'll make sure you don't speak for a long time," Roni says, calmly, "You're being petty. It's not like you."

"She chooses the man who embellishes her vanity by painting that damned portrait! She ignores me completely, after my _lifetime_ of service! She takes my friend over me because _he's_ sensitive, _he's_ got so little of a life that he spends his time in this cathedral. Because _he_ was the person there when she woke up, while I was making sure the wounded got to the infirmaries. It's no justice, Fatima."

"You know as well as I do that they've known each other since childhood. They've been in love for years, Krelian. Her heart was set when she met him. I'm sorry, but she sees you as nothing more than a friend."

Krelian stands there, bracing himself against one of the last few intact chairs in the room, Fatima calmly standing amidst the scattered wood.

Krelian cries out in anguish, grabbing the chair and tossing it clean across the room, missing the king by inches, the breeze ruffling his cape as the chair shatters against the wall, knocking down a grandfather clock.

"That _witch!_", Krelian screams, "That _tramp!_ That _slut!_ That _whore!_"

He turns, pointing his finger at Fatima.

"Mark my words, Your Majesty," he growls, "This is not love! This is a slap in my face for all I've done for you! For us! For _her!_ No God in His right mind would condone that marriage after all I've done in His name! _THERE IS NO GOD!_"

He strides across, grabbing the doors, pushing them open as he looks out into the horizon before him.

"And if there is no God," he says, walking onto the dirt road, "I'll make a God with my own two hands!"

Present day.

"Don't worry, I'll be a good distance away," Billy says, fixing the blue cloak over his buttoned shirt and slacks, "The children won't hear me practice."

Racquel nods, fixing his collar, pulling it out over the cloak.

"I know, I know," she says, "But be careful. I don't care how long you've practiced with your father, I don't want you hurting yourself."

"Mom, they're blanks. And I don't have the ether guns."

She sighs, nodding.

"Good. Then be careful with your gear."

Billy nods, hopping onto the outstretched hand of the massive, blue gear, climbing into the cockpit as it stands.

The back thrusters activate, the gear leaping far into the air, disappearing into a speck to her as it lands four miles away.

Billy feels the thump as Renmazuo fully touches down, the gear bending down to one knee as the cockpit door opens.

He hops out, unholstering his pistol, checking the clip as he hops off the hand and to the ground. The firing range is all set up, just like his father set it when they first started practicing.

He silently hefts up his gun, aiming and hitting the first target, the bullseye spinning as he aims for the second, pulling back the hammer...

And is nearly knocked off his feet by a shockwave as something impacts.

He uncocks the gun, looking up...and sees, right behind the range, the crashed form of a familiar omnigear.

"God...", he whispers, "Crescens?"

The scabbard releases with a twist, Citan pulling his sword out slightly, revealing an inch of the freshly polished blade.

"I don't understand why you need to carry that," Yui says, sitting on the bed, "There's no indication that they'll be hostile."

"Still..."

"I know. You want to be prepared.", she responds, folding her hands on her lap, "What do you think you'll find?"

He sighs, sheathing and locking the blade, clasping it to his belt.

"Hopefully some clue," he responds, "The Gazel might have made some sort of temporal distortion device. A last-ditch effort in case they lost. I definitely wouldn't put it past Krelian."

She nods, the two sharing a moment of silence. She stands up, straightening out his collar.

"But you yourself aren't going to Etrenak, correct?"

He nods.

"Elly knows enough about the interior to lead them around. I'm taking Fei with me back home, so I can run some tests and find out what happened to the Xenogears," he responds, "I don't know why it's become Weltall again. That disturbs me."

"I know. You don't like not knowing, so you want all the answers."

"It also helps having the most powerful gear there is.", he responds, "I have to leave with him before we arrive at Etrenak, so we don't have an especially long trip. I'll have my communicator on me."

"And I trust you enough to not have to use it," she responds, "Good luck."

He smiles, fixing his glasses.

"Thank you," he says, and walks out.

Two humanoid objects drop out of the Yggdrasil's front, jets igniting in their backs and propelling them forward.

The leader of the two, a green-and-brown Heimdal, flies alongside the black and dark blue Weltall, the two accelerating towards the west.

"_We'll rejoin them as soon as we can,_" Citan says over the com, "_I have my communicator on me just in case. How are you feeling, Fei?_"

"_Fine, Doc. Better than I have in a while._"

"_Good. Because I just did a scan of you with Heimdal's sensors. Especially a brainwave scan. You'll want to hear this._"

"_And?_"

"_You have one brainwave pattern._"

A long minute of silence passes as Fei processes that information.

And realizes he has no clue what it means.

"_Huh?_"

"_Let me explain,_" Citan responds, "_Each of your three personalities had an individual pattern. Even after you incorporated the three into your base personality, there was still some remnant. Now, suddenly, they've vanished._"

"_Well...that's great!_", Fei responds, and, upon hearing no reply, "_...isn't it?_"

"_Debatably. This means they've vanished like they never existed. It means there was no Id. I intend to find out why._"

"_How?_"

"_I have a psychohistoric reader in my storehouse. A souvenier from Solaris that I was given by Cain in case you became a threat. It will trace your mental history, so we can find out what happened._"

Fei nods, saying nothing more for the remainder of the trip.

Billy reaches the fallen Crscens within minutes, seeing the familiar, green hair as the figure who owns it falls to the ground.

He breaks into a run, running on the grass flattened and shorn by the impact shockwave, nearly tripping on the now very loose dirt.

"Emeralda?!", he yells, climbing over the furthest fence of the orphanage's territory, skidding to a stop...

"...Emeralda?"

He silently walks over to the figure...and stops in his tracks as she rises to her hands and knees.

First thing is, she has no clothes on...and the second thing is, she's a bit more...mature.

When he first met her, her physical form was maybe eight to nine years old. When they visited that lighthouse and the city underneath, she became older. About thirteen to fifteen years old, a teenager.

Now...she's a _woman_. A naked, beautiful, long green haired woman who looks exactly like her 'parents', Fei and Elly, breathing heavily, struggling to rise to her feet...

He unbuttons his robe, wrapping it around her as he helps her to her feet, looking into her deep, blue-green eyes, her breathing still heavy.

"B...Billy?", she asks, her voice now a bit more lyrical, sending shivers down his spine, "Billy...help, please..."

"Emeralda, what's wrong?"

She tries to say something, her knees buckling before her eyes roll up, and she faints against him.

He lifts her up, noticing she's suprisingly light in his arms as he turns to his gear.

"Renmazuo!", he yells, "Pick up!"

The thrusters on the gear ignite, crossing the mile between them in less than a second, picking them both up and launching back in the direction of the cabin...

The multi-spired shape of the land-locked Etrenak comes into view of the Yggdrasil's bridge view, Sigurd grimacing as he sees the city he once lived in.

"Hn. We did _that?_", he asks, Bart walking up next to him, "I'm not sure whether to be proud or disturbed."

Bart folds his arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Same, Sig. We reading any incoming gears? They should've detected us by now.

No sounds. No alerts. No signs of any sort of attack or hostile action...

"_This is Solaris air command,_" a female voice announces over the speakers, "_Yggdrasil-III, we have you on radar. Standby, we are preparing a docking port._"

The message ends, Sigurd and Bart looking to each other and shrugging.

"Freaky," Sigurd says, and continues the steady path downward.

As Bart and Sigurd deal with the pleasantries of the dignitaries greeting them, Elly simply walks past them, looking about her former home.

Some dents in the floor, some broken windows...but largely unharmed. Undamaged. Even the platform where that red gear had burst through, knocking them into Seizbehn's waiting arms...

She folds her arms, shaking her head. If only Fei were here.

One of the things he truly felt guilty for was the destruction of Solaris. The rampage Id let loose on the floating city, leveling it, sending it careening into the ground far below and reducing it to a display of light and energy.

Now...it seems to have been flipped around, rested on its former apex so gravity is normal compared to the rest of the world...

She pulls back her hair, tying it into the ponytail she has whenever she has something even partially official to attend to, walking back to her colleagues.

"Is there any reason we're not in the city, yet?", she asks.

"None whatsoever," the solarian officer who greeted them responds, "If you'll come with me, I'll escort you inside-"

"No need. I know the way.", she quickly responds, "We'll be in the lab complexes. We have something to check on. This way, people."

She turns, walking from the docked Yggdrasil, Sigurd, Bart, and the others following her to the massive gear hangar entrance.

"A bit curt, Elly," Bart says, "Look, things're changing. We don't know what happened this time around, here..."

She grabs his shoulder, forcing him to stop inches from the entrance.

She points down, forcing his head to face that direction. Where a small, faded red stain is.

"It still happened," she says through gritted teeth, and walks through, the others hesitating before following her through.

The solarian officer watches them disappear, sighing as he clicks on the small communicator attached to his collar.

"This is Pauson," he says, "Tell them that they've arrived. I'll get everything in order from this end."

Fenrir lands right next to the inactive Weltall, Citan hopping out, standing there as he watches Fei practice his fighting.

They're near the edge of the woods outside Lahan, the shadows masking their gears, no living things around for miles. Just complete silence, broken only by the wind through the leaves and grunts as he punches.

"How often do you practice, Fei?", Citan asks.

Fei stops, sliding his feet back together, and sighs.

"No very often," he responds, "Just...this reminds me of being a teacher in Lahan."

"Hm...I understand."

Citan adjusts his glasses, nodding.

"Very well. Let's get to my house, then."

He begins walking, Fei hesitating before following him.

"Don't you have it?", he asks, "I thought we could do this in one trip."

"The machine's quite big, Fei. Even Fenrir can't carry it by itself."

"So..."

"So we'll have to go past Lahan, yes. I'm sorry."

Citan looks up, seeing the sun beginning to set.

"It's getting late, though. I'm not sure if we'll make it to Solaris tonight."

He turns to Fei.

"We may have to make an all-nighter, Fei...?"

Fei is running from him. Running to a faint series of lights in the distance.

Citan scratches along one of his temples before breaking into a spring after him, catching up...and stopping in his tracks, along with him, looking down the hill they stand on.

Because where there should be the burnt out husks of a small town...

Is a small town.

Citan slowly walks over to Fei, clasping his shoulder.

"I heard there were efforts to rebuild the town," he says, "But I didn't expect it to be this fast."

Fei nods, slowly walking down the hill, sliding down, Citan behind him.

"Still...it looks incredible," Fei says, "It looks like nothing's changed. They must have known what it looked like to begin with."

Citan nods, walking with Fei as they walk to the town.

Children are running along the outskirts, playing with each other.

A ball rolls by Fei. He picks it up, bouncing it before tossing it back to the kids.

"Feels a lot like it, to.", he says, "Who was going to rebuild it?"

"It was one of Billy's plans. Make it into a home for the remaining orphans."

"Ah...Lahan always had a lot of open space."

Fei sighs, shaking his head, turning from the town and walking over to a tree stump, sitting.

"Shall we be going?", Citan asks, "Or should I contact Sigurd to tell him we'll be late?"

"Give me a minute, Doc. Five minutes, and we'll get going..."

Citan nods, walking away.

Fei shakes his head, closing his eyes.

He never thought he'd come back here. He leveled this place when Id took over. Killed everyone. Killed the man who raised him, killed his friends...killed the first woman he thought he loved...

He had so much blood on his hands...even more when he learned about all he did as Id, all he did while under Grahf's thrall.

He tore down Shevat, he wrecked the Yggdrasil, he killed hundreds, thousands, millions, all starting with here...

"Fei?"

He opens his eyes, shaking his head.

His conscience must be catching up to him. Maybe he's missing Elly. Maybe he's so damn confused about what the hell is happening here that he-

"Fei, is that you?"

He slowly stands up, realizing that the completely opposite is happening. That he isn't imagining this...

He slowly turns around, smiling faintly, swallowing hard down his dry throat.

She's standing there.

Standing there right in front of him.

About his age. A good year and a half older than when he caused her death. Wonderful, lovely face, long black hair. Blue eyes which he couldn't help but stare at for as long as he could afford...

He opens his dry lips, smiling widely.

"...Alice?"


	3. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 5:

The Mother

___________

19 years ago.

Karen Wong tosses and turns, alone in her bed, tightening the covers over herself.

She opens her eyes, sitting up, tightening her grip on her covers.

"You again," she whispers, "What do you want?"

_A minute of your time, dear child._

"For what?"

_The child. What is his name?_

"What do you want with my son?", she demands through gritted teeth, "Who are you?"

_My name is Miang, Karen. I am much like you, in many respects._

"Much...like me? How?"

_Give me but five minutes, Karen. Let me gain your trust._

She squarks in surprise as she finds herself standing out of not her own will, walking across her bedroom in her drenched nightclothes.

Her hand reaches out, pushing open the door, walking to the adjacent room, to the crib resting there...and the small, perfect child sleeping inside.

She reaches down, picking him up as her hair turns light purple, her sight becoming like the images of a replayed film.

_He is a beautiful child, Karen,_ Miang says, a tremble in her voice, _He is a special child._

"Why are you here?", she asks.

_Because you are the one I've been waiting for, Karen Wong. Your child has a destiny ahead of him. One we both will attend to._

"W...what destiny?"

_A painful one. If you will trust me, if you will help me, I will make sure he feels as little pain as he can. There is a man named Krelian, who lives in Solaris. We must take your boy with us to him._

"And then?"

_Forgive me, Karen...but it only gets unpleasant from there._

Present day.

Jessiah Black covers the match with his hands, feeling the wind blowing against them as he lights the cigarette.

"I know, I know," he says, "I shouldn't smoke. So I don't in the house."

He turns, seeing Billy standing in the door, waiting for him to close the door behind him before turning back to the sunset.

"How's Emeralda?", he asks.

"She's still resting," Billy responds, walking over to his father's side, "She said something about new memories, and then she passed out again."

"Hm. As in memories of what happened this time around?"

"I'm guessing."

"Good. Maybe we can figure out what the heck's happenin', then."

Billy nods, sighing, folding his hands in front of him.

"Maybe," he says, "But I think it's time we called up the others. If Emeralda's going to tell us everything, I think at least Fei should hear it."

Jessie nods, putting his feet up.

"My thoughts exactly," he responds, "Which is why, while you were inside, I called up the Yggdrasil. They say Hyuga and Fei'll be back in a day. We wait until then."

Billy nods, and walks back in, as Jessiah watches the fading sun for a while longer...

The two say nothing, Fei walking over and pulling Alice to him, nearly crushing her against him as they silently embrace.

Her fingers dig into his shoulders, a soft smile crossing her lips as he buries his face in her hair, his hands trembling around her shoulders.

"We were getting worried," she says, "You hadn't come back in four months."

He nods, absently, not opening his eyes as he smiles, widely.

She pulls away from him, folding her hands in front of her.

"So, how's Elly doing?"

"Um...fine. She's with the others on a trip to Solaris," he responds, quickly. He swallows, slightly, not letting her see his nervousness.

He saw her die a year and a half ago. He saw her burned to ash when Id unleashed himself on the gears and Lahan itself, consuming the now-present town in a mushroom cloud of pure chi energy.

He smiles, widely, straightening up a bit.

He feels...relieved.

Like a weight, a huge guilt, has just been lifted from his shoulder, watching her stand there, healthy and alive.

"How's everyone doing?", he asks, "I'm here with Doc to look at something, so I can't stay long-"

"I know.", she interrupts, and sighs, "Sorry. Um...well, I guess I should get back to looking for Dan. He just upped and disappeared earlier today. I'll see you around, Fei."

With that, she walks back to the village, smiling to him as she walks through the gates.

"_Bart to Elly. Nada. Nothing. Zilch, zip, crap. No signs of anything other than nanites or mutation papers._"

Elly nods, leaning against the hangar wall. She folds her arms, sighing, shaking her head.

They've been at it for three hours. She's been here at the exit to Krelian's labs, the same place they were almost two years ago before Id leveled the floating city.

She's wondering what they _can_ hope to find. Everything just feels...different. Alien. Unreal to her.

She slides down the wall, wrapping her arms around her legs as she looks over the hangar, feeling a cold chill down her spine. She insisted the others go through the labs while she coordinated.

Mainly so she could stay here and reaffirm her belief that nothing changed. That they still died here. That even if Bart's parents came back from the dead, even if Ether returned to the world, even if millions upon millions were brought back from oblivion, some things changed...

And she sees a small piece of glinting metal out of the corner of her eye.

She crawls over, looking at it...

And sees two bullets. One bullet flattened against the other...

_She can only watch in horror as the bullet leaves Hammer's barrel, her world going into slow motion._

She tries to move, her legs frozen in place. Tries to scream but finds her throat dry as her mother simply looks at her...

And sees a look of fear and shock on the demi-human's face...

BOOM.

A bullet comes out from right under her arm, going under the sleave of her mother's dress, scraping her side and sending a small spray of blood to the floor...

And slamming into the side of the other bullet, knocking it away.

Hammer simply looks at them, shaking...and drops the gun, screaming as he runs.

Elly reaches out, catching her mother as she falls into her arms, clutching her side, breathing heavily...and smiling. They turn, seeing Billy, still holding a smoking gun...and Jessiah laughs, clapping him on the back.

"Nice shot, son," he says.

"Not really. I missed," the Etone responds, "I was aiming for the gun."

Elly rises to her feet, holding the two fused bullets in her hand, shaking.

Was that...a memory? A memory of this time, meaning...

Meaning that maybe things did change?

"Oh...oh my God," she whispers, and runs to the entrance to the labs and the rest of Solaris.

Emeralda slowly opens her eyes, pulling up the covers with her as she sits up.

"How are you feeling?"

She turns, seeing Billy sitting by the bed, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm...I'm feling...better.", she says, "How long...?"

"A few hours," Billy responds, "You crashed Crescens outside the orphanage and I had Renmazuo bring us back. Emmy, do you remember anything?"

"Anything...anything and everything," she responds, holding her head, "Forgive me, Billy. My mind is still a bit jumbled. I'm still confused."

He nods, placing a hand on her bare shoulder.

"I understand," he says, "I understand. What you've been through must be trying, but right now we need all the information we can get about this new time. My father has called the others, and they'll be here when they can. Is that alright?"

"Is my father with them?"

"...you mean Fei?"

"Yes."

"He's at Citan's house.", Billy responds.

Emeralda nods, trying to stand up and failing, Billy putting her back on the bed.

"No," Billy says, "You still need your rest. You may be the strongest of us, but you've still been through an ordeal."

She nods, sighing, lying her head back on the pillow.

He rises, straightening out his robe.

"I found out," she says, "That I had a real family in the Zeboim era. That in this timeline, I didn't watch my mother get gunned down before me and my father didn't kill himself letting me escape. I now have memories of my sister and growing up."

She turns to him, smiling slightly.

"What have you gotten out of this?", she asks.

He returns her smile, folding his hands in front of him.

"Faith.", he says, and walks out.

About that moment.

Her cane knocks against the gate as she walks onto the orphanage, the children ceasing their play and watching the new visitor. An adult. Fully grown, but nowhere near six feet. Around 5'8", the more mathematically inclined would guess.

Dressed plainly, in slacks, shoes, and a buttoned white blouse, with dark blue hair spilling down past her shoulders, and dark glasses over her eyes. A smooth, flawless face, delicate hands on the cane. Pale skin, just like Billy and Prim.

She walks, apparently with the guidance of her cane, to the porch as the sun finishes setting in the background, the children going back to the house as the dinner bell rings.

The only person there is Jessie, smiling to the woman as she walks up to the porch, walking up the stairs and stopping, smiling with her full, dark lips.

"Hello, Jessiah," she says.

"Good evening to you, Kelvena.", he responds, "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Looking for a friend, Jessiah," she responds, "How is your wife?"

"Racquel's doing fine.", he responds, "Why do you ask?"

"It's not every day someone returns from the dead."

He freezes at the last words. The cigarette falls out of his mouth, onto the ground as he sits back, and nods.

"Want to go inside and talk?", he asks.

"Yes. I would. Is your son around? I think he'll want to hear this, to."

Elly runs through the slightly damaged streets, pushing aside those accidentally blocking her way as she follows the way she so well remembers.

She runs through the streets, through the paths, through the sidestreets of the first-class citizen's section that is now inhabited by all classes.

She's sweating profusely, her hair matted by the time she sprints furiously through the gates to the estate, leaping up the stairs, forcing open the door.

She comes to a halt as she enters the lobby of the mansion...and runs across it to the person there, throwing her arms around the pale-haired, pale skinned woman, burying her head on her shoulder.

"Elly," Medina van Houten says, smiling warily, "Are you-"

"I'm alright, Mom," Elly responds, tightening her grip, tears flowing down her cheeks, "I'm alright."

Chapter 6:

The Missing Ones

_______________

Two years earlier.

William Lee Black quickly draws his gun as the shape appears in the green cylinder, praying silently that someone will explain what he's doing here.

He knows this is the Zeboim ruins. He knows that for some reason, Elly recognizes the place. He knows that it's somehow connected with the now-destroyed Ethos, which his father and mother so often warned him to leave and which he just escaped with his life, thanks to the help of Elly and her friends...

And which all is shuffled into the back of his mind when the form takes its shape, the light dying down.

That of a beautiful, naked green haired woman, silently floating in the liquid.

The cylinder lifts, the thick liquid draining out over the soles of his shoes, the woman slowly stepping out.

He watches, wide-eyed, jaw open as the vision of beauty struggles to walk to him, a faint, pained smile crossing her face as she looks up, past him.

"M...mom?", she whispers in a heavily accented voice.

Her eyes role up, and she collapses, Billy dropping the gun and catching her.

"Elly!", he screams, "Citan! I think you need to get over here!"

Present day.

Citan silently tightens the straps, looking up at the small monitor as he finishes strapping Fei in.

"Doc?"

"Yes, Fei?"

"Why am I tied down?"

Citan sighs, stepping back.

"There is a chance. A minute chance, mind you, that Id could resurface when we do this," he responds, "I take no chances with these sort of things."

He walks over to the side of the alien, streamlined machine, tapping the bulb at the top.

He slides his hands over the switches, activating them all....

And the entire room flashes white.

When the light in the storehouse clears, Citan sees Fei is still sitting...

But his eyes are glowing white.

"_You have summoned me, Animus,_" Fei says, with a voice feminine in tone, barely a whisper, "_What do you wish?_"

"Fei? What happened to Fei?"

"_Fei is unhurt. I am not a danger to you._"

"The last alternate personality Fei had destroyed entire countries-"

"_I am not an alternate personality. I am a presence Fei Fong Wong has channeled. You seem to notice the changes._"

"Yes, I do. Why do I?"

"_Perhaps your proximity to the Deus has affected your perception. I apologize for that, but please do not endeavor to prevent change. Such could cost this world much._"

The light begines to slowly fade.

"Wait!", Citan says, "Who are you?"

'Fei' smiles, slightly.

"_I am Alpha and Omega. I am the Beginning and the End. I am the First and the Last._"

With that, the glow disappears, Fei's head rolling back as he falls asleep.

Citan simply stands there, considering those words. And comes to a single conclusion...

"Zohar."

Jessiah sees the uneasy look his son gives the guest as he steps out into the dining/living room, waiting for Billy to say something.

"Billy," he finally says, after a long moment, "I believe you and Kelvena have met."

Billy simply stares at her, the blind woman not turning to him as Racquel looks between the two.

"Kelvena," she says, "Could I get you anything?"

"No thank you, Mrs. Black. I just need to talk with your son," Kelvena responds, folding her hands on the table.

"I think we need some time alone, Racquel," Jessiah says, "Could you put Prim to bed? I'll be along in a bit."

Racquel nods, sighing, and walks out, leaving the three alone. Jessiah sighs, folding his arms as the silence permeates the room, broken only by the sound of her folding her sunglasses, rubbing her closed eyes.

"I'll get to the point, Jessiah," she says, "Commander Ramsus is missing."

"Kahr? What happened to him?"

"One moment he was with us at the Elru remains, the next that wave came over us and we were in the middle of a bustling town, without the Commander and with our powers back.", she responds, "We next found out that our gears were working, and we decided to split up to find out what we could. Dominia is in her hometown, Tolone and Seraphita are going over Ignas with a fine tooth comb, and I came here."

"Kahr and I ain't exactly on speaking terms, Kelly," Jessiah responds, ignoring the questioning look from his son, "Why'd you come to me?"

"I'm heading to the Zeboim ruins," she responds, "It's one of the only other places I can think of. Besides...I have been intending to head there, at some point. I have always been somewhat interested by the ruins."

"Mm...hm. I can tell you, he's not at the dig site," Jessiah says, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Emeralda's been there."

Billy shoots him a look, his throat tightening.

"Father-"

"Let me finish, son.", Jessiah cuts in, "Emeralda's among the most ether sensitive people there are. Considering Ramsus's heritage, he would have shot out like a beacon to her."

Kelvena doesn't turn, sighing.

"Damn it. Then now what?"

Jessiah gives a stern look to his son, Billy returning the look.

"Is Emeralda here?", Kelvena asks.

"Yes.", Jessiah says, "She's resting, though. She went through a bit of an ordeal back at the ruins."

"Oh. Is she hurt?"

"No. But a bit changed. You know her?"

"Yes. We're well acquainted.", Kelvena responds, "Jessiah, I've heard rumors of a second major Zeboim ruins site. Is that true?"

Jessiah smirks, nodding.

"It's true, Kelly. It's under a lighthouse a bit to the west.", he responds, ignoring Billy's infuriated gaze, "I'm not sure what success you'll find, but the whole place is a full, bustlin' city. Well, was. Think you'd be able to find Kahr there with those powers of yours?"

Kelvena nods, smiling.

"Thank you, Jessiah. I'll leave tomorrow."

Billy scowls, and storms out of another door, slamming it shut.

"Your son's angry.", she observes.

"For a priest he sucks at forgiveness.", Jessiah mutters, "Give him time. He'll cool down."

"I hope so. I...may just need another favor, Jessiah."

He walks over, patting her on the shoulder.

"It'll wait until mornin', Kel. Can you find your way to the guest room?"

"It would be the one without a person inside. Thank you, Jessiah."

"It's nothing. Good night."

He walks out, closing the door behind him.

He will admit this much: Fei Fong Wong sleeps like a stone.

Citan sighs, leaning against the wall of his storehouse as Fei snores, still strapped into the psychohistoric reader. It _helps_ for the patient to be awake for the reading...but, he might as well get this over with.

He walks over, switching the machine on and giving a relieved smile as there's no bright flash of white light.

The bulb above Fei's head flickers, forming into images...

Forming into images of Karen Wong as Miang, carrying around the baby in her arms with the affection of a true mother.

An image forms of Miang projecting small blasts of chi energy at a group of Gebler soldiers and...Krelian...blinding and hurting them as she carries an unconscious, 8-year old Fei into a Shevat hovercraft.

Very odd...Miang _worked_ for Krelian, didn't she?

There are more images of Miang aiding Fei. One of her and Khan Wong hypnotizing Fei. He watches as Khan stares into Fei's eyes, his own eyes glowing, blood coming from his ears as something happens...and he collapses, dead, into the crying Miang/Karen's arms...

"They did it," Citan mutters, "They stopped the personlities from forming in the first place..."

There are more images. Images of Karen carrying, with unnatural strength, the sixteen year old Fei to Citan's house. Images of her being reunited with a grown Fei in Shevat...

"Odd," Citan says, shutting off the machine, "Very odd..."

Fei had told him earlier that his mother was alive. His mother's death was one of the events that truly defined Id...

"But if Miang wasn't his enemy," Citan continues, "How does she fit into this? Why would she look out for his well-being if she was a tool of Deus...?"

His thoughts are cut short as he hears someone yelling.

Someone very, very familiar.

He opens the door as he hears her calling his name...and sees Alice staggering through the gates to his home.

"Alice?!", Citan yells, running over.

Fei also told him about his encounter with her...but finding the dead alive is starting to become old hat for the former Guardian Angel. He's learning to simply accept the rather bizarre facts...

"Doctor," Alice gasps, limping oer, "Doctor, have you seen my brother?"

"Hold up there, Alice," Citan responds, helping her stand, "Are you alright?"

"I twisted my ankle on the mountain, but I'll be fine. I can't find Dan anywhere.", she responds, her face ashen, "He just disappeared today."

_Take into account wave travelling time...and massive reconstruction would most likely take a while..._

Meaning that Lahan didn't come back into existence until today. And Dan would still be at Shevat...

"I think I might know where he is," he responds, "But it's hard to explain."

"Where is he? What happened-"

"Alice, I can explain everything to you.", he responds, "But you most likely won't believe me. Do you want me to continue?"

She quickly nods. He sighs, adjusting his glasses, and leads her to his house.

Bart coils his whip as the sharpened end slices through the bipedal machine, sending it careening to the floor.

"Damn nanites," he mutters, reattaching his weapon to his belt, "Hey, Sig? You heard from Elly?"

"_Nothing yet, Your Highness._", Sigurd responds, "_We still find anything?_"

"Just junk and old security drones. Looks like the Gazel wasn't too into time travel."

He kicks the robot's head, sighing.

"I'm heading back up. Meet you back on Ygg, big brother."

He walks to the exit of the debris-strewn lab, the door sliding shut behind him.

Billy kneels in front of the candles, hands clasped in prayer, silently praying to whatever God there is for guidance in this matter.

He clenches his eyes shut, gritting his teeth, whispering a latin prayer as the door opens and shuts, slight footsteps echoing.

"Reverend Black?", Kelvena asks.

Billy quickly stands, drawing his gun and aiming it at her head. She's standing there, in one of his mother's nightgowns, a borrowed nightrobe over it. Her eyes aren't even open, but she reacts to the drawn gun.

"One of Jessiah's custom pistols.", she says, "I believe that's the Matchlock model. Elemental rounds?"

"Why are you here?", he demands, pulling back the hammer, "Tell me what you really want. I may be my father's son but I am not as easily swayed."

She still doesn't open her eyes...and collapses to her knees, folding her hands in her lap.

"I know," she says, "I know you'd never trust me on this."

"Trust you on what?", he demands, "Why are you really here?"

"I'm here on my way to the Lighthouse ruins," she says, "I was originally going to the mining site, but it's just the same distance in a different direction. I need your help."

"My _help?_ You've tried to kill me before."

"Don't you believe in forgiveness?", she asks, slowly reaching up, sliding her fingers over the barrel of the gun, "I was only acting under the Commander's orders."

"That's no-"

"Excuse, I know...but you have to understand, Ramsus is a father to me.", she responds, "Jessiah is the only friend I have outside the Elements. He was also the Commander's friend and commanding officer. If anyone would know where he went, your father would."

Billy nods, slowly lowering the hammer, but not taking the sight off her head. She rises, stepping forward, his arm resting on her shoulder, the gun aiming at the door at the other side of the room.

She places her hands on his face, tracing her fingers over every contour. The delicate, silk-smooth fingers run through his hair, over his cheekbones, over his nose and ears, sliding over his lips.

"You're blind, aren't you?", he asks.

"Usually.", she responds, "I can see through a sonar effect from my ether powers, but only in general shapes. Details...are lost to me."

She brings her head up, opening her eyes. Her eyes are deep, aqua blue, more white in her eyes than normal...and her pupils are glowing bright blue-white.

"Billy, I have not been able to see for a year.", she says, her voice starting to crack, "First my gear fails and I nearly die when it crashes. Then I find myself wandering in darkness. Do you have _any_ idea how terrified I've been?"

He pulls the gun back, shakily holding it with one hand in front of him, towards her chest as she grips his hand with her own.

"I was ready to die during that entire year," she whispers, tears beginning to form in her sightless eyes, "Do you know what it's like to feel so completely helpless?"

Images of the Wels attack begin to flash before his eyes.

"I...I do."

"Every single second, I only had four people to rely on.", she says, "Tolone was too analytical, Seraphita's an idiot, Dominia's a cold witch and Ramsus still wishes he were dead. Any moment we were in the hideout I could have been hurt, raped, killed...or worse. And now I have my powers, but now the people I owe being alive to are gone, and..."

Tears begin running down her cheeks as she grips his collar, pulling him to her, the barrel of his gun pressing between her breasts.

"I just want to find him.", she chokes, "I've become so used to being blind that I can forget to even use my powers. If I go into those ruins...chances are more than likely to never come back."

"But...where do I come...why are you telling me?"

"Billy, I need help.", she responds, "I need someone to help me through those ruins. No matter what, no matter how many times we've been at odds, I've always trusted you. I knew any son of Jessiah's would be like him and I'd trust Jessiah with my life."

"Don't pretend that I trust you, Kelvena."

"I never will. Not until I earned it.", she responds, "But please, believe me. I'm only doing this to find someone very, very dear to me. Will....will you help me?"

He swallows, hard.

And he brings down his gun, returning it to his holster.

"I will.", he says, "I'll help you."

She smiles, laughing through choked sobs, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Tears of joy stain his cloak, his hands absently running down her back.

"I...um...you're welcome.", he says, smiling uneasily, "I think we should get to-"

She grabs his head, pressing her lips to his. His hands spasm, gripping her robe, his eyes going wide as she quickly, passionately kisses him.

"Thank you, Billy.", she says, breaking the kiss, making him choke, "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

She walks back out the door she came, to the bedrooms, leaving him standing there.

He collapses to his knees, emitting a slow, ragged breath, crossing himself quickly.

"God, of all people," he says, "Well...she never tried very hard to kill me."

He sighs as he stands, and walks through the same door, spying a glance through her slightly open door before walking to his bedroom.


	4. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Shadow Hunting

* * *

500 years ago.

The Regs Omnigear lays in the crater, steam and smoke coming from the cracks in its metal skin and from its bent and broken joints.

While it is repairable, the same cannot be said of the pilot if she is in similar condition.

Lacan falls through the hatch on the gear's torso, running along the now-horizontal ladder to the cockpit, climbing in.

Lying in the chair is the woman he seeks. Her perfect face marred by her blood, bruised and covered in soot.

He doesn't know how the omnigear ripped her from the cockpit of her flagship, and does not know why. All he knows is that it did, and for that he is giving the utmost thanks to whatever God is listening.

He undoes the straps on the chair, on his knees as he lays her down, rewarded by the sight of her chest rising and falling with slow, tired breaths.

"Sophia?", he whispers, "...Elly?"

She slowly opens her eyes, cracking a slight smile.

"L...Lacan?"

He smiles, widely, pulling her up, crushing her against him, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Thank God," he whispers, "Thank God oh God..."

She rests her head on his shoulder, her mind too cloudy to even respond, simply whispering the one thought in her mind.

"Did we win?"

"Yes. Yes, Elly, we did.", he responds, "Please, don't ever do that to me again. Please, just promise me that."

She moans an affirmative, falling asleep, smiling, in his arms.

He smiles, kissing her on the forehead, picking her up, and carrying her out of her gear.

* * *

Present day.

Fei slowly awakens, lifting his arms above his head and yawning as he stands up from the machine's seat.

The tell-tale chirping from outside the workshed tells him that it's morning, which makes him wonder just how long he's been dozing.

The first things he notices as he steps out into the morning sun is that Weltall is standing in front of the house, Fenrir sitting nearby.

"Good. You're up.", Citan says, walking out from behind Fenrir, "I hope you're alert, Fei, because we're going to Solaris."

"Right. Any report from Elly?"

"Elly broke contact.", Citan responds, "And Bart and Sigurd are on Yggdrasil. So far, the solarians are being polite and no hostilities are apparent, meaning the war ended somewhat differently in this time. Alice is coming with me on Fenrir, by the way."

"Why?"

"Dan is apparently still in Shevat.", Citan responds, "After we leave Solaris, I'll have the Yggdrasil do a full scan for Shevat."

"...right. Not at the snowfields anymore."

Fei snaps his fingers, mouthing something and nodding to himself.

"Alright, let's get a move on.", he says.

"Alice will be back in about an hour. She needed to get some things from the village. I'll catch up with Fenrir."

Fei nods, running to Weltall and taking one leap into the cockpit of the standing gear. Moments later, the engines ignite, and Weltall shoots off into the sky.

"Is he gone?"

Citan turns at the sound of the voice, nodding.

"He is, Alice.", he says, "I told him we'd meet up with him in about an hour."

Alice nods, walking out from behind the house.

"Are you feeling better?", Citan asks.

"Better...better than I did a week ago, at least.", she says with a slight, unnerving chuckle, "Tell me again, Doctor. How many pieces was my body in?"

Citan sighs, walking over. He grips her shoulder, looking her in the eye...and she collapses, fainting against him.

"Cain was a good teacher.", he says, "Especially when it came to hypnotism."

He snaps his fingers, Alice bolting back up, shaking her head.

"I...what time is it?", she asks.

"Time we should get going.", he responds, "I contacted some friends aboard the Yggdrasil, and they say Dan's in Shevat."

"_Shevat?!_", she demands, eyes wide, "What is he doing there?"

"Apparently studying under Master Gaspar. Fei knew he had a talent for martial arts, and apparently he's been arranging the rendezvous for a while now. But that's just what I've been told."

"I've been worrying myself sick over him, and you're telling me he's in Shevat?", she asks, and smiles darkly, shaking her head, "I'm going to kill Fei for doing this too me."

Citan smirks, faintly, holding up his hands defensively.

"Don't be angry at him. As Elly could no doubt attest, he may be a wonderful person, but he's thick as a brick wall."

"I'm not angry. Just annoyed. How long will it take to get to Shevat?"

"Longer than usual, I'm afraid.", Citan responds, Fenrir walking up behind them, "I have an errand to run in Solaris. And we don't know where Shevat is, but we can find out."

She nods, Citan helping her up as he climbs into Fenrir's palm.

And the omnigear takes off after they're onboard.

* * *

It was the best sleep she's had in months.

Not just because Elly was sleeping on the bed she grew up with, or in the room she grew up in.

It was because her mother was sleeping in another room across the house. She felt safe. Not safe like she does when Fei has his arms around her. Safe because she knows that one terrible moment never occurred.

And her father never showed up. Meaning one terrible moment did occur, leaving her with many questions to be answered.

"Elhyam?"

She looks up as she sees her mother walking into the room, Elly quickly climbing out of bed.

She still has uniform on, her hair loose, having not changed since she came in at such a late hour, without telling her friends where she was. Hopefully they put two and two together...but considering what she knows about Bart, probably not.

"Well, good morning," Medina says, "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine, Mom.", Elly says, "Did...anyone call?"

"No."

Elly shakes her head, sighing.

"Then they're worried sick about me.", she responds, "I should have figured."

She walks past her mother, out the door, Medina quickly following her.

"Elly," she says, "Did something happen between you and Fei?"

"Oh, no. He'll be here in a few hours. He had something to take care of, so-"

_Beep._

She quickly grabs the communicator in her pocket, snapping it open.

"Bart?"

"_Sorry we took so long. Where are you?_"

"At my house. Look, trace the signal and meet me here in fifteen minutes, alright?"

"_Aye-aye. Prince Fatima out._"

Elly smiles, slightly, putting the communicator back in her pocket. There's something...satisfying...about bossing around the heir-prince of one of the two major land-dweller nations. Just one of those life-affirming priviledges.

* * *

Another one of the frequent surprises that Billy has received over the past couple of days is that Emeralda and Kelvana not only know each other. They were friends.

Which never occurred to him before. Although, it never occurred to him that waves of energy could restore Ether to the world or bring back the dead, but that's another story entirely.

He watches as the blind woman and the artificial woman chat, Kelvena sitting in a chair near Emeralda's bed and telling her about how the other Elements have been doing. He doesn't listen. He simply stares at Kelvena's flawless face, the same one that pleaded with him to help her last night.

He'd expect that vulnerability to be gone, to be replaced with no emotions whatsoever, just a sense of duty. But it's not. He still sees that vulnerability, that relief on her face, the edges of tears of joy in her sightless eyes.

The two turn to him as he knocks on the door, smiling to Emeralda and the former Element.

"It's time to get going," he says, "We don't want to be too late at the ruins."

"Of course," Kelvena says, standing, "It was good to see you again, Emmy."

Emeralda smiles, watching Kelvena walk out.

She waits for the door to close before turning to Billy, tightening her hold on her covers.

"She's not a bad person, Billy.", she says.

"I know."

"You did?"

"I've just learned I have a lot to learn about forgiveness," the Etone says, shaking his head, "Look...did she say anything?"

"No, but sometimes you need to listen for things other than words."

She smiles, faintly, shaking her head.

"You two be careful. Don't get hurt. Either of you."

He nods, turning.

"Same goes for you, Emeralda," he says, and walks out.

* * *

Weltall flies well above the surface, jets blazing.

At the controls, Fei silently sits, musing over the multiple problems he's now facing.

Well, not really problems. Relief.

He's waiting for the expression on Dan's face when he and Alice arrive on Shevat…

But he's also worried about Elly's reaction. He knows he loves her…

But he also has those unresolved feelings for Alice, as well.

He sighs, closing his eyes as the ship goes on autopilot…

"_Fei?_"

"Yes, Doc?", he asks.

"_Fei, message from Elly. It looks like we might have a problem._"

* * *

Despite being one of the handful of the most powerful Lambs, on Solaris he's still a Lamb and that means he has to walk across the city section to the Van Houten Estate.

It doesn't help that the last time he was here, it was upside down and on a giant robot, so he's promptly managed to get himself lost. Groaning and swearing to himself, he finds himself standing in front of a large mansion, somehow undamaged like the rest.

"Huh. What's this?"

The door, which is two stories tall and seamless, splits down the middle as Bart approaches it, lights turning on to illuminate a hallway lined with glass display cases.

"Welcome."

Bart reaches for his whips, which find themselves flying out of his hands and sticking to the ceiling.

Standing in front of him is a man, and a familiar one at that. Tall, fair hair falling past his shoulders and a headband disappearing beneath it, with probing, intelligent eyes and dressed in a lab coat and tunic.

"Ah, yes," the man says, "Bartholemew of the House Fatima. Welcome. You have entered the personal residence of Krelian. How may I help you?"

On cue, music begins playing. Soft, relaxing music, which makes Bart realize he is standing in a lobby.

"Uh huh," Bart says, and points at the man in front of him, "Are you…Krelian?"

"A nanotech simalcrum," 'Krelian' responds, "Created for the purpose of escorting visitors into Professor Krelian's estate when he is unable to personally entertain them. How may I help you?"

Bart scratches his head and considers his options. The bad news is, he is currently in the stronghold of the man who was everyone's worst enemy a very short time ago. The good news, however, is that said enemy is now either dead or dancing happily in the heavens with scantily clad angels. And not trying to kill him.

"Cool," he says, "What's these tubes?"

The walkways underneath him moves, and Bart finds himself being carried deeper into the lobby.

"These are containers filled with prototype nanotechnology," 'Krelian' responds, "The Professor's interest in nanotechnology began five centuries earlier, when during his travels following the conclusion of the Shevat/Solaris war he came across a wreck of unknown origin containing advanced nanotech artifacts. Studying the abilities and properties of the technology, he laid the foundation for much of his later work."

The walkways stops in front of a tube at the very end of the lobby. Seeing how the other tubes were filled with formless, shifting blobs-like lava lamps-Bart expected the bigger one to be filled with _bigger_ blobs. He was wrong.

The central cylinder contains a woman. She is beautiful-perfect-tall and toned, silver hair falling down to her knees and eyes closed in a dreamless sleep. He can see little imperfections-missing bits of skin by her cheeks and the tips of her fingers, creases on her flat stomach-but the very sight of her makes him catch his breath.

"_That_ is the artifact?"

"Correct. She is mechanical in nature, not organic. The Professor was never able to fully trace her point of origin. She is presumably extraterrestrial, and possibly from the point of origin of the Eldridge."

"You mean the ship that Deus came in."

"Correct. Her life functions have not restarted, although regeneration of parts and appearance have continued."

'Krelian' stands in front of the tube.

"Do you have any further questions."

"Yeah…what do her eyes opening mean?"

And a slender, female fist bursts through the glass and through 'Krelian's chest.

* * *

Karen is sleeping, napping on the couch in Fei and Elly's house. So deep is her sleep she does not sense the man standing in front of her, hidden by the brown cloak and hood. Stealth is the least of his skills, but since the end of one life and the beginning of this one…he has learned to make the most of it.

He does not want the world to know he still lives, after all.

He has more important work to do, now that he and the spirit have made their peace.

Turning, he prepares himself to teleport out of the house…and senses it, out of the corner of his mind. Shifting himself, he vanishes and appears outside the cabin, and looks up to see the fire descending…

And within the fire, a craft of aqua blue metal.

"Well," he says, "You've been expecting this?"

The voice within answers in an affirmative.

And smirking to himself, he sheathes his body in the white energies of the Contact and takes off to intercept.


End file.
